Apparatus for treating soil



March 17, 1931. c. v. BUDDENBROCK APPARATUS FOR TREATING SOIL 7 Filed Dec.

1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 xii/P1615 JFII/VJ/POCW Wain/TOP PEP March 17, 1931. c. v. BUDDENBROCK 1,796,533

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SOIL Filed Dec. 5 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 k L I 62 "mm A20 5a PEP Patented Mar. 17, 1931 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES V. BUDDENBROOK, OF TRINIDAD, COLORADO APPARATUS FOR TREATING SOIL a Application filed December 31, 1928. Serial No. 329,358.

in soil to permit the ready absorption and retention of moisture therein.

In farming rolling land, particularly where the soil is hard, considerable difficulty is encountered in keeping the high portions of the same moist and in keeping the low portions from becoming swampy. When rain falls a small portion .of the moisture soaks into the ground on the higher portions of the land, but a greater portion of the rain runs down the sides of the, slopes and collects in the valleys, thereby providing the low portions of thefield with an over abundance of water and not providing the hill tops and slopes with sufficient water. Applicants device tends to eliminate this undesirable condition, inasmuch as one of the important objects thereof is to provide a device which will cut furrows in the tops and slopes of the hills, the said furrows being cut at right-angles to the slope ofthe same, thereby providing a series of small reservoirs down the entire side of the slope. This obviously retards the flow of water down the hillside and gives the rain water more time to seep into the lower soil of theslopes on its way down.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of means for eliminating the undesirable formation of arroyos, due to the rapid flow of the water down the slope of the hills and the attendant erosion which necessarily follows. The said means comprise the formation of these above mentioned furrows cut at right angles to the natural flow ofthe water. 1

A further important object of this inven tion is to provide means in connection with ditch or canal irrigated land for uniformly distributing the acquired water from the ditches or the like uponv all parts of the surface of the land to be watered. y

Other and further important objects of the V invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specificat on. t

The inventlon, 1n a preferred form, is lllustrated in the drawings, and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the completely assembled soil treating device.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail view, illustrating one of the cutting wheels.

Figure 4: is a schematic view of the piping connections of the hydraulic hoist.

Figure 5 is a plan view of an irrigated field before using the soil treating device.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the same field as shown in Figure 5 after the field has been treated in accordance with this invention.

Figure 7 shows an attachment for the ma chine whereby the furrows can be later closed, if desired. 4

As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally a vehicle frame, chassis or the like, supported at one end by a pair of driving wheels 12. The other end of the chassis is supported by a pair of wheels 14 which are adapted to be steered by means of cables 16 from a drivers seat 18 mounted on the rear of the chassis.

The cables are operatively associated with asteering wheel 20 positioned immediately in front of the seat 18.

The vehicle is preferably driven by means of an engine 22 mounted upon the rear of the chassis 10 and operatively associated with the wheels 12 by means of a sprocket and chain or the like 23, or if desired can be pulled by horses which can be hitched to a tongue 24.

A hearing rod 26 is transversely positioned upon the chassis 10, the same being rigidly mounted in suitable housings 28 positioned on each outer longitudinal frame membe'rof the said chassis.

Pivotally mounted upon the bearing rod 26 is a series of lever bars 30, the pivotal mounting comprising a plurality of sleeves 32 positioned end to end along the length of the rod 26. Rigidly attached to the longitudinal center of each of the sleeves is one end of each of thelever bars 30. Rigidly mounted upon substantially the longitudinal center of each of the bars 30 and extending downwardly therefrom is a fork 34, and rotatably positioned at the lower end of each of the JEorks is a soil cutting wheel 86. These wheels are adapted to roll upon and cut a series of furrows in the surface of the soil as best shown in Figures 2 and 6.

Depending upon the consistency and n1oisture content of the soil, variable downward forces will have to be applied to the wheels' 36 in order to cut turrows otdesirabledepths.

, Hence Weights 38 are hung from the outer end of each of the bars 30 and are'ot such-a character and design that they maybe changed as desired. Furthermeanstor'variably weighting. the 5 wheels 36 comprises an" open box or container 40 whichzisarigid'lymounted upon each of the bars 30inimediately aboveeach cut-tingwheel; WhenadditionaL weighting is necessary. these boxes can-be filledwith-scrap iron, rocks or-whatever material happens to be available.-.

Asdesiredythe weights 38-may ben'a'dle constant and the boxes used to vary the weight or vice versa, orvboth may be varied:

A super-.structure t2-is mounted upon the chassis 10 adjacent. the free ends 'of the-bars 80, each or the side members 44. 0 1? the-said structure being provided with a slot 46* in which the ends of atransvers'e bar 48, shown.

dotted lines in- Figure 1 adapted to" bet-operated' bygthe engine 22. I A reservoir-54s i containing the fluid supplyqfor the-hydraulic hoist is also mounted upon-the'rear end .ofithe vehicle. Air pnessure-maybe used if desired.

A schematic or diagrammatic :view ofthe pipingconneetions for-the hoist-is shown in Figured, theroper ati on o-fthe samelbei-n'g as follows: A pipe 56containinga one-way-flow valve connects the reservoir 54 tothe low pressure side ot-thevpump The high pressure side'of the pump is connected toeach of the :cylindersAS) 'by r'means-otpipes 58, 60

and 62. A connection is madeibetween the reservoir 54: and-the high pressurepi'pe 58and oompra-ses' a pipe 6t whereina combination valve'and pump control'66 1s rnsertedw This control'66 is operated manually bymea-ns of a-lever or the like "68 shown in Figure :1. F

Tn raisingthe plungers 50,-thedefver- 6t=is thrown to its operating posit-ion whereby the pump152 is eonnectedwiththe motor22 andat the same time the valve 66 in the pipe 64 is closed. Hydraulic pressure is then set up within the cylinders 49 and the plungers raise. T 0 lower the plunger 50 the lever 68 is thrown to its release position which stops the pump 52 and opens the valve 66 allowing the fluid to return to the reservoir 54. In order to ho'ld the plungers150 inathe'ir raised position the lever 7 O, shown in Figure 1, is adapted to disconnect the pump 52 from the engine 22 but: does-notopen th'evvalve66, thereby maintaining a constant pressure in the cylinders.

A combination clutch and reversing lever 72 is mounted upon the rear of the chassis 10 and is adapted'to'op'eratively connect the engine 22.and.the driving wheels: 12. p

, A turtherteature-ot the inventionris shown iii-Figure? andlcomprises grooved. Wheels 366 adapted to .belmounted inithe forks 3r ifinLliuoi; the .wheels 136 lThel purpose of thelsaid. wheels is to close, witha-thiii. layer of soilathe furrowsimade the wheels 36.1 The field is firstfunrowedbyaneansr of'the wheels-B6; and in the .period: between the close a of the. rainy season: and: before.v plowing. time has. arrived thdwaterl would. tendlto evaporate lquickl'y fromuthe open furrows. To: remedy this situation, the field isagainlworked as. soon. as the. rainy season is ever usin githe wheel's 3'6 a in. place: of. the. wheels i3651the grooved.- char: acterot the saidlwheels being adapted toseal thelopeningsof theturrows and protect-the water-.athereini contained.- from evaporation. These'furrows may. be. sealed-by. other means than that described aboveasby the nseof ran gularl-yl disposed scrapers, rollers, .:or any other suitahle means:

Figure: 5 isa planmview of. an irregularly surfaced. field-174 the same bei-ngiilrrigatedaby a ditch Lorthe like; 76'; Spaced' at intervals along. the length e-fthe ditch :is .a series-of sluice gates-'18,- the-said: gates adapted. to be manually operated-and. when openedpermit water to; flow fromtheditch tothe fieldl'Zt.

Naturally the water-will. seek the lowportions of the field and. tormapools .80 Itaisiobvious thatthisan undesirable situation inasmuch asthe high. portions of the. field are left dry and unaffectedbyv the .irrigatiomwaten. Figure: 6 is a planview ofthe same field as shown-inEig'ure 5,,after the turrowingsprocess has been pertor-medleaving. cuts 82 f therein, the said cuts beingshown. exaggerated as to size and spacing. These cuts form a series ofsmall canals which water" the entirefield uniformly inasmuch as the channels-cutin the high portions ot the ground areeut deeper than. the cuts .inthe lower portions of the same, the lowest portion of all. the cuts being. substantially equilevela It is i apparent that herein.- is provided a means and method-for scientifically treating soil in areas of the country where heavy rainfalls are confined to a brieffbutlintenselyiwet season; theremainder of .the year being' tabnormally dry. The invention is simple of operation and construction and is extremely flexible and rugged, and can be manufactured economically.

In order to be properly aware of the even ness or unevenness of the ground over which the machine travels, a level 86 is mounted upon the steering shaft housing where it can be readily referred to by the operator.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a soil treating device, a chassis, including a set of supporting wheels, and a plurality of vertically positioned cutting members distinct from the wheels for furrowing the ground, said cutting members comprising a plurality of vertically rotatable cutting wheels, and means for varying the operating pressure on the said cutting wheels, said means including a plurality of weight retainers operatively associated with each cutting wheel, and means for raising all of the cutting wheels simultaneously, said means comprising a hydraulic hoist mechanism.

2. In a soil treating device, a chassis, a plurality of wheels upon which the chassis is mounted, a transverse bearing rod positioned 011 the chassis, a plurality of lever bars pivotally mounted upon the bearing rods, and a plurality of soil cutting members operatively associated with the lever bars, said cutting members comprising a plurality of vertically rotatable cutting wheels, and means for vary ing the operating pressure on the said cutting wheels, said means including a plurality of weight retainers operatively associated with each lever bar, and means for raising all of the cutting wheels simultaneously, said means comprising a hydraulic hoist mechanism.

3. In a soil treating device, a chassis, a plurality of wheels upon which the chassis is mounted, a transverse bearing rod positioned on the chassis, a plurality of lever bars pivotally mounted upon the bearing rods, and a plurality of soil cutting members operatively associated with the lever bars, said cutting members comprising a plurality of vertically rotatable cutting wheels, and means for varying the operating pressure on the said cutting wheels, said means including a plurality of weight retainers operatively associated with each lever bar, and means for raising all of the cutting Wheels simultaneously, said means comprising a hydraulic hoist mechanism, said hydraulic hoist mechanism including a super-structure mounted upon the chassis, the sides of the said super-structure being provided with vertical slots, a pair of pressure cylinders mountedupon the top of the 

